Frain Drabbles
by WintersOrchid
Summary: Just some drabbles I come up with. They'll be posted as I write them.
1. Chapter 1

Antonio had been on a winning streak for quite some time and as Francis sat up in the private box (only the best for him, after all), he smiled and nodded along with the coaches and wives and mistresses. When the races starts, he's still chatting with another driver's wife, flirting with her though they both know it won't go anywhere. They've met up before while their men raced and are friendly with each other, though not quite best friends. Enough to tease and flirt and blow kisses at each other in mocking ways when their 'team' pulls ahead of the other.

On the final lap, they've stopped to watch their respective partners race up the road, Francis chortling into his wine as Antonio took the lead. "Well, it appears that this time, my Tonio will be bringing home the trophy," he crows as he pours himself another glass. He's too concerned with winning such an important race that he doesn't pay attention to the gasps behind him until the spectators start to scream.

Spinning around, he can't see out the window so he's forced to look to the large screens above the crowd further inside. Antonio's car – number 54 – is on fire.

Something inside him seems to freeze over as he watches firemen and track crews rush over to the burning car and he prays as hard as he can in such a state to anyone who will listen that Antonio will be alright. He has to be alright. They were going to vacation in the tropics after this race…..

He's not aware of it, but somehow he's moving. Downstairs and to the race track where he's allowed past the barriers and to the waiting ambulance. Antonio's not moving and Francis is allowed inside before the vehicle starts moving, apparently on its way to the hospital. As the medical crew work on Antonio, Francis carefully takes his hand, his bruised, bloody hand and slips off the glove to touch the skin.

At the hospital, he's taken away by a nurse who needs medical information and he gives it to her in a daze, finding himself sitting in a lounge with a cup of coffee sometime later. He falls asleep there and after hours of fitful sleeping, a different nurse woke him to tell him there were beds for visitors, if he wanted one of those. He groggily accepted her offer under the condition that he be told how Antonio was as soon as they could.

It's another couple of hours before he wakes again, this time with a doctor leaning over him.

Antonio will be alright, and as he takes the rest of his life to look after his husband, he can't complain. Not for one minute.


	2. Chapter 2

It was destiny, the way Francis told anyone who would listen. They met in university when Antonio dares to tell him that his macrons are dry. Dry! The squabble that ensued lasted throughout their first semester and by the time finals came around, they were neck and neck, each improving by leaps and bounds so they could beat the other. In their third year, it's Francis who makes the first move. They already live together (so they can spy on each other's techniques or make the most beautiful pieces of art the professor has seen), asking Antonio on a date. A real, true date with wine and kisses and whatever else they think is appropriate. The Spaniard accepts and before too long, their animosity has switched from grudging respect to genuine admiration, their relationship quickly spiraling into love.

After they graduate, they live with Francis' parents for a spell, saving up for a small store downtown and when they move into the flat above it, Antonio is giddy with excitement. They break out a bottle of wine they've been saving and make love all night despite what needs to be done. In the morning, their friends come over with gifts. Ludwig and Gilbert – both doing well with Ludwig's business – bring them a heavy-duty mixer. Other gifts included contacts to grocers, farmers, store-owners, anything they might need.

Their pastry shop is a rousing success and before too long, they're one of the most visited sites in town. With their expanding business, they find little personal time and early one morning as Antonio hauls himself out of bed, he finds Francis in front of the mirror, turning this way and that and pouting.

He's not in the mood for Francis because he needs a shower and Francis always goes first under the condition that he leaves enough hot water. The shower's still running and he eagerly steps in, head tilted back to help wake him up. From outside the stall, Francis moans dramatically.

His husband gets like this occasionally and Antonio knows how to handle him. First, he ignores Francis, going about his usual routine of cleaning and washing before stepping out of the shower. Francis is still naked and in front of the mirror. Antonio shaves and pulls on his clothes. Finally, Francis breaks and throws himself in Antonio's arms.

"Tonio!" he wails, clinging to the other man. "You will not love me, but I must tell you!"

Antonio sighs and starts for the kitchen. "Oh? Are you….. ill?"

"Non."

"Dying?"

"Not yet."

"Forget to order more supplies?"

"Non."

"Then what?" Antonio asks as he starts getting food for breakfast out of the fridge.

"I'm….. Antonio…. I'm fat!" he wails again as he buries his face in Antonio's back.

His husband laughs as he cracks eggs into the pan. "So? We're pastry chiefs. We're always eating cake and wine and we don't really work out…."

Of course, Francis is horrified at the weight gain. "I can't go around looking like… This!" he declared, motioning to his stomach before pinching a side with a look of disgust. Antonio manages to calm him down enough to open their shop, but he could tell the issue was bothering Francis a lot more than he had shown earlier in their small house upstairs.

From then on, they go running in the evenings together, Antonio going through it to keep Francis fit even though he really doesn't care about the extra weight. Francis is vain and not about to let a few pounds keep him from being beautiful. It was funny to see Francis who used to love eating cake turn down the samples Antonio offered him. While he got to try them all, it was frustrating when he had to eat and sample and try to figure out if something was wrong with the batter before it cooked.

Still, the look on Francis' face when a regular customer told him he was looking very, very good was worth the extra pounds he had put on. After all, it wasn't everyday he got to see smooth-talker Francis at a loss for words of gratitude.


End file.
